


And They Laugh!

by zephsomething



Series: Surviving the War [15]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-22 13:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14310138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zephsomething/pseuds/zephsomething
Summary: Neville introduces Hannah to his family and she is Less Than Impressed.





	And They Laugh!

When Neville invited her to have tea with his family she’d expected a lot of things, she knew after all that they’d thought he was a squib for years. So she’d tried to prepare herself for the worst. She hadn’t succeeded.

“And he bounced!” One of Neville’s uncles laughed as he ruffled Neville’s hair. “The tyke bounced and we knew he had magic after all!”

Hannah felt her carefully trimmed nails dig into her palms and forced a polite smile onto her face.

“Now darling try one of these cakes.” Neville’s grandmother waved at the plate on the table. “They’re divine really, had them made special when we heard our Neville was bringing a friend.”

“Thank you but I’m not feeling well.” She forced her voice into something resembling apologetic and saw Neville flick a concerned glance her way. She shook her head slightly and he tried to hide a frown.

“Not feeling well? Neville what are you doing forcing the poor girl out and about when she’s not her best!” His grandmother turned to glare at him and Hannah wondered if she was the only one in the room who saw the way Neville flinched at her tone. Or if the duck of his head disguised it from everyone else.

“It’s just my stomach, it started acting up after we were already almost here.” She tried to force her hands to relax as she defended him.

“Nonsense, he should still know better.”

“Yes ma’am.” Neville nodded shaking his head just a little at her when his grandmother looked away from him and this time it was her turn to try and hide a frown.

“Do you remember the time Neville fell in the lake?” A different uncle this time but the same easy grin as he spoke, like these weren’t stories where a child almost died. “Poor tyke nearly drowned before Aunt Aggie pulled him out.”

“I remember it like it was yesterday.” Another uncle chimed in, laughter dancing in his eyes as he leaned towards her. “We were out fishing see? And the tyke was right at the edge of the boat so we lifted him up, just to check you know? Sometimes kid’ll magic the water right? And then the fishing line tugged and we straight dropped the-”

Hannah was standing before he finished the sentence and Neville frowned at her. “Sorry to interrupt sir, but I’m really not feeling well at all. I think I should head home.”

“Of course darling, we can tell you stories some time where you’re feeling better.” The laughter was still there and Hannah turned on her heel and marched out so she wouldn’t have to see it. Within seconds she could hear footsteps following that she knew were Neville’s. She didn’t stop until she was in the street outside his grandmother’s house.

“Hannah?” He sounded nervous and she tugged angrily on her braid.

“Your family is awful!” She snapped it out and he flinched. She’d be furious with herself for that later, right now her mind was replaying his family’s laughter over and over and she was shaking.

“It’s just…” He trailed off and shrugged. “Well I never got seriously hurt…”

“They laugh!” She started walking again, she needed movement, needed somewhere to direct the anger or she’d explode. Neville followed her easily. “They tell stories about nearly killing you and they laugh!”

“I didn’t die though.” He jogged to get in front of her, but didn’t try to stop her from walking. “I survived just fine.”

“You flinch when your grandmother is upset, you apologize for things that couldn’t possibly be your fault, and you’re only ever useless at magic when the people around you don’t think you can do it.” She listed off but her anger was ebbing away as they walked and she could feel herself slowing down.

“They were just doing what the thought was best.” He shrugged and slowed to a stop as she did.

She stood silently in front of him for a few minutes before leaning forward to rest her forehead on his shoulder. “Don’t make me go back there.”

“Course not.” He wrapped an arm around her. “Want to go home?”

“Please.” She held onto the back of his robes as he apparited them from the street corner to the little patch of green outside of Aberforth’s bar.

“Come on, I think there’s weeding to be done.” He said quietly, but made no move to step back until she let go of his robes herself.

After a few more moments she stepped back. “Alright.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon with their hands buried in Aberfoth’s small garden doing their best to make things grow.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you like what I do and want to buy me a coffee for it there's a link on my profile


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